Stackable, resilient tubular dispensing container

ABSTRACT

A dispensing container comprising a tubular body portion having a resilient sidewall, a ridge at one end of the body portion and a base closure means sealingly secured to the lower end of the body portion and having a lower surface contoured for mating receipt of the ridge.

United States Patent Kenneth C. Word 1701 Hillcrest Drive, Carthage, Mo. 64836 761,255

Sept. 20, 1968 Jan. 19, 1971 Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented STACKABLE, RESILIENT TUBULAR DISPENSING CONTAINER 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 21.5/10

Int. Cl. 865d 21/00 Field of Search 215/41,43, 10, (inquired); 220/23.6, (inquired); 222/143, 92,

545, (Inquired) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,077,219 4/1937 Conner 215/10 2,974,815 3/1961 Driscoll 222/545X I FOREIGN PATENTS 216,087 11/1941 Switzerland 222/105 816,342 10/1951 Germany 215/10 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Attorney-Robillard & Byrne ABSTRACT: A dispensing container comprising a tubular body portion having a resilient sidewall, a ridge at one end of the body portion and a base closure means sealingly secured to the lower end of the body portion and having a lower surface contoured for mating receipt of the ridge.

PATENTEUJANIQIBH 3.556333 suzinnrz INVENTOR KENNETH C. WORD fi im NEYS PATENTED JAN 1 9 |9T| SHEEI 2 [IF 2 FIG. 5

INVENTOR KENNETH C. WORD BY ATT RNEYS STACKABLE, RESILIENT TUBULAR DISPENSING CONTAINER This invention relates generally to a resiliently walled container and more particularly relates to a squeezable, nestable container for storing and dispensing spreadable food products.

The advantages of squeeze-type containers for dispensing food contents are well known. The majority of such devices, however, require elongated or otherwise enlarged nozzles which depart greatly from the normal dimensions of the base container. Although this feature is not necessarily undesirable during dispensing or application of the food product, it is cumbersome and denies compactness to the storage size of the container. Moreover, it has resulted in the necessity for special additional material to adapt the priorart containers for stacking in a shelf display.

One objective of the invention is to providea resiliently walled container having a dispensing closure which can dispense a layer of food product without appreciably extending beyond the length defined by the container sidewall.

An important object of the invention is to provide squeezetype containers which are nestable with each other.

An object of the invention is to provide squeeze-type containers having a interfitting ridge at one end and a base closure such that the ridge at one end will next within the base closure of another.

Another object of the invention is to provide squeeze-type containers which can be stacked one on top of the other in a stable upright condition for display purposes.

A further object is to provide a container having a sealing plate which can be utilized as a coaster after it has served its sealing purpose.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a container having a ridge at one end which when nested into the base portion of another like container, will provide the ability to stock a great number of containers.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following detailed description when viewed in light of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing all of the elements comprising one container as well as the partial base section of another;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a container showing its nesting relation to the phantom outline of another;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the nesting relation between successive containers;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 1.;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the assembled lower portion of a container;

FIG. 6 is'a side elevational view, partly in section, of the container as it is deformed during dispensing.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 10 indicates a container having a generally cylindrical body portion 12 whose lower dispensing end receives a sealing plate 14 and a base adapter I6. The

container sidewall I2 is made of a resilient material. The container is particularly designed for dispensing various spreadable food products such as peanut butter, jam, mayonnaise, cheese and the like. The other end of the tubular container is sealed with a ridge l9.

At its base end, the sidewall is counterbored at 23 to pro vide an opening for dispensing the food contents. The outer surface of the sidewall is provided with an annular flange. 24 having an upwardly and inwardly sloping surface 26. The sloped surface 26 forms one side of an annular groove 28 formed between the flange and an upwardly and outwardly sloping shoulder 30. The shoulder 30 is provided with helical grooves or female threads 32 and terminates at its upper end at an annular abutment 34.

The opening at the base end is closed by the plastic snap-on sealing plate 14. The plate 14 is provided with an end wall 36 having a raised central portion 37 and an upstanding peripheral sidewall 38. The sidewall 38 has an annular interior ridge 40 about its opening whose under surface 42 is sloped at the same relative attitude as the flange surface 26. As seen in FIG. 5. the plate 14 is snap fitted over the lower end of the container sidewall 12 and in order to provide a sturdy support means, the base adapter or cap 16 is formed for snug receipt over both the container sidewall I2 and the plate 14. The base 16 is preferably made of a styrene resin and has a peripheral sidewall 44 upstanding from a relatively thick base 46. The interior of the sidewall 44, tapered downwardly and inwardly toward the base, is provided with threads 48. A raised portion 50 is provided on the upper surface of the base 46 and the entire adapter is so proportioned that when it is threadably engaged, the open end of the adaptersidewall will abut against the shoulder 34 when fully seated. As seen in FIG. 5, the outer surface of the adapter sidewall 44 is cylindrical and forms a smooth continuation of the cylindrical outer surface of the midportion of the sidewall 12. The lower surface 47 of the base 46 resides in a single plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the assembled container and therefore provides a stable surface for supporting the entire container in an upright position on a table, shelf or other planar surface.

An elongated groove is formed in the base adapter 16 and extends along the full length thereof. In cross section, the groove 52 presents the outline of an isosceles trapezoid whose dimensions accord with those of the ridge 19.

The upper end of the container is formed by continuations of the sidewall 54 which curve inward. As is common in this art, flexible containers of this type are bottom-filled. The sidewalls are pinched once the container is filled, heat sealed and cut at which time the ridge 19 is formed. The ridge is cut so as to have a pair of rectangular shaped guides 56 disposed at opposite ends and spaced at a distance from one another slightly greater than the diameter of the base 16. In this way, the base adapter of a second container is snugly received and supported on the ridge of the first container. The ridge of the first container nests within the groove 52 of the base adapter of the second while the guides 56 prevent relative axial misalignment or transverse sliding between the two. This mating, nesting relation between the two containers will facilitate stacking for shipping and display purposes and insure a relative stable arrangement. Containers of this type are brought to a filling station bottom side up on a conveyor. The grooves 52 provide a means to engage ridges formed on the conveyor for accurately positioning the containers and supporting them in a stable manner.

Referring back to the closure means it can be seen three continuous sealing surfaces are provided. In other words, surfaces 26 and 42. The end surface of flange 24 and surface 36 and the upper surface of the adapter sidewall and surface 34 are all sealingly engaged and form a three-way, airtight sealing means to prevent spoilage or chemical decay of the food con tents.

What has been set forth above is intended primarily as exemplary to enable those skilled in the arts in the practice of the invention and it should be understood that within the" scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced in other ways than as specifically described.

I claim:

1. A container for dispensing a viscous product comprising an elongated resilient tubular body having an open end and a closed end; i

a ridge at said closed end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tubular body;

a sealing plate disposed over said open end;

a cap covering said plate and engaging the side walls of said tube;

an end surface of said cap being in a plane normal to said axis and having a groove of a dimension to snugly receive said ridge; and

a pair of guide projections at opposite ends of said ridge, said projections being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of said cap.

3. The invention as desc ibed in claim 2 wherein said body portion has an external annular flange at its open end about which said sidewall sealingly mates. 

1. A container for dispensing a viscous product comprising an elongated resilient tubular body having an open end and a closed end; a ridge at said closed end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tubular body; a sealing plate disposed over said open end; a cap covering said plate and engaging the side walls of said tube; an end surface of said cap being in a plane normal to said axis and having a groove of a dimension to snugly receive said ridge; and a pair of guide projections at opposite ends of said ridge, said projections being spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of said cap.
 2. The invention as described in claim 1 wherein said sealing plate comprises a generally planar member having a circular periphery and sidewall extending about said periphery in a cylindrical plane normal to said planar member.
 3. The invention as described in claim 2 wherein said body portion has an external annular flange at its open end about which said sidewall sealingly mates. 